Inside the Music Box
by Israe
Summary: Being reworked to fix some pacing issues. And just general problems. Keep checking back! Rating subject to change.
1. Prologue

Author's notes:

I'm putting this up now, although I've only written the first two chapters and who knows how far I'll write from there. My muse is probably the most flighty thing I've ever known.

For a while I was trying to avoid the clichés that invariably come from writing a fanfiction with an original character. Then I realized how futile that was, so I'm just along for the ride. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. One thing you should consider before you call her a Mary-Sue: She does have a fatal flaw. Several in fact. (As well as minor ones that will reveal themselves.) They should become obvious. She is no more a Mary-Sue than some of the canon characters.

Also, you may notice that I abuse commas and the whole thing may seem a little wordy. That is because my character talks like that. Even when the story is told from a 3rd person perspective, it'll remain a little overly decorative speech-wise. Also, throughout most of this story I'll be pretty in-character while writing, so whether it's 1st or 3rd person, it'll sound about the same.

I appreciate all feedback, so please leave reviews if you have the time. This includes corrections; because even when I proofread I don't do it well. I hate proofreading with a passion.

Disclaimer: I own only my original character and her family.

***

Prologue

When I was younger all I wanted to do was be just like my mother. She was a beautiful lady who, rather than play my father's inferior, acted the part while always being able to make him see things her way. I admired this ability that she had. The ability to charm a person with no tools other than one's self – that is real power. People can keep their wands; they're all well and good. My father may have been powerful wizard, but my mother's ability to control him meant that she was the real head of the family. I suppose it all comes down to a desire for power. Controlling people is everything. That was the first lesson I learned.

It was my mother who was my teacher all throughout my childhood. My mother taught me reading, writing, elocution, and etiquette. I had learned to speak three languages by the time I had reached five years of age, not through my own intelligence but through her willpower. By eight years ago age I was learning the great Italian and French arias as well as Beethoven sonatas on the piano and Bach partitas on the violin. Culture was poured into me and I, eager to please my mother, did all I could to soak it up.

Age ten found me at my first ball. It was a gala that my family put on every year around Christmas-time, and since it was my first public event my mother had the dress I was to wear specially made. It was a light cornflower blue, floor length and high-necked so as not to emphasize my still boyish physique. I felt like a princess in the puffy skirt, and I received many compliments throughout the night. By the end of the experience I had been firmly convinced that I was, without a doubt, the most beautiful creature to have ever graced this earth.

When I received my letter from Hogwarts after my eleventh birthday, my parents were pleased but not surprised. I was, after all, from a long line of pure-bloods, and I had displayed magical abilities from a young age. As a toddler I had enjoyed locking my nanny out of my room without leaving my bed. The old squib had been forced to fetch the key to my room from another wing of the house. After a few times of this, she started carrying it around with her, and my plan to stay up a few minutes later at night had been ruined. The proof of my heritage remained, however.

My first impression of Hogwarts wasn't necessarily a good one. While it was indisputably much larger than the mansion I had previously lived in, it seemed drafty and old compared to the place where I had comfortably spent my childhood. Many of the other students had obviously had no training in manners, as they spent the train ride and later the boat ride talking and laughing and trying to push each other into the lake while I sat straight-backed in my seat, speaking only when spoken to and casting a disapproving eye over my classmates.

After we had been sorted, and I had been placed in Slytherin as I had always expected to be, I discovered that dinner would be a loud affair during which people attempted to shove as much food into their mouths at once. Some of the people at the Slytherin table I recognized, having seen them at the various parties my parents held at our mansion. They ate with much more grace than the rest of the room, but still joined in the conversation, sometimes shouting over the piled-high plates to get their points across. I personally didn't join in any conversations that first night, preferring instead to observe the behaviors of those around me. I suppose this set a precedent for the coming years; even when I had acquaintances to eat with I rarely conversed during mealtimes. After all the time I had spent learning how to eat without disgracing the family it never seemed right to have conversations while simultaneously trying to chew my food. My parents rarely spoke at the dinner table.

Whether it was this fact or something that happened later that influenced people I'll never know, but I developed a reputation early for being supercilious. The reputation was rightly earned, as I didn't often make any attempt to engage others in conversation, preferring to wait for them to come to me. They often did, and this was how I made acquaintances. I would never come to consider anyone from those early years as a friend. Friends were not something I was taught to have, although I understood the concept perfectly. I didn't see the necessity of having them, as people were more than happy to talk to me no matter how I treated them.

As the years passed, I worked my way up to the tops of my classes. I was never the most naturally intelligent of the people in the class, but I stayed up late studying more than anyone knew. People would look up to me as one of the smartest students of our year, although I never flaunted my knowledge. I let the teachers call on me, figuring that no one would know the answer and then, as if by magic, I would know it. My mother always said that subtlety was the best way to gain a reputation, and that seeming smart for its own sake was for lesser people. A lady must always be knowledgeable, but never pompous about it to the point where it becomes an annoyance.

When my place at the top of the class was secured, I knew nothing could ruin my reputation. At times I'd treat people badly – I was aware of this. Between my intellect and the beauty that I possessed (which had grown considerably since that first ball when I was ten,) I was in no danger of being abandoned by those I that hurt. They needed me more than I needed them.

Still, there were those who I never got along with. Most people from other houses saw me as the glacial Slytherin bitch, to be avoided at all costs. I was mocked by some of my peers, but I never let it hurt me. Their opinions didn't matter to me – I was still on top where it mattered. The pure-blood community knew my name. Who cared what the mudbloods thought? I certainly didn't.

I never thought then that I could grow to care what the rest of the world thought of me. As it turns out, even glaciers will melt. When they melt completely, they become part of the ocean surrounding them, and are taken by its tides. I can only hope that the tides will take me somewhere better than where I am right now. I have no control over my own life anymore. Maybe it was all an illusion to begin with.

***

I appreciate reviews a whole lot. Please take the time to write one!


	2. Chapter One

Chapter one is not as long as I would've liked, but I can't think of any way to lengthen it without giving too much away.

Be warned that since I'm posting this the day I write it there is a chance that I may randomly make changes to it. Even big changes. I'll let you know in later chapters if I do, though.

Also, don't doubt the pairing that I have marked. I have thought this through.

Disclaimer: The only character I own here is Calista.

***

"Oy, rich bitch!" a voice called down the hallways. Calista Emberly resisted the urge to roll her eyes, then turned back to find the source of the hurled insult. Sirius Black and his normal gang of boys were a few meters back. Three of them were acting like they hadn't heard anything, but Sirius was staring straight towards her with a grin that, had it been directed at any other girl, would have been swoon-worthy. But since it wasn't, Calista stared him down. His grin widened after a few seconds of their staring match, and he said. "You looked back. I suppose that means I was right." This caused her to turn her back on the four of them and continue on her way, pausing only to say

"Think what you like, Black."

The immaturity of his actions had only recently started failing to astound her. He had been raised in the same type of household as she had been, and by all assumptions should have been a well-mannered and considerate boy. Then again, he also should've have been in Slytherin, if lineage meant anything. Which, to him, it obviously didn't. Just look who he was associating with.

Of course, this sort of mocking thing was common for her. The majority of the taunting she received came from the Marauders. Or, more specifically, Sirius Black. It was to be expected, with their family history. Their families were old friends, but Sirius and Calista had never gotten along, despite being the same age. He found her pretentious, and she found him misogynistic. One look at the type of girls he dated and Calista could see that there would be no way for him to respect her even if she were anything but condescending towards him.

He was good to look at, no denying that, but she and him never saw eye to eye on anything. He was a nuisance and a disgrace, and certainly the black sheep of his family.

It was, of course, inevitable that she would often end up paired with either him or one of his friends for the classes they had together. Unsuspecting teachers would often put the two of them together, and she often wondered if they did it for the aesthetics. She was ghostlike, with pale ash blond hair, pale skin, and pale eyes. He was dark, with black shaggy hair that hung into his eyes so that he was always shaking it away, to the delight of most of the girls in the class. While Calista herself was in the habit of shaking her hair out of her face, when he did it, it only served to irritate her. He must've known this, because he did it exceedingly often in her presence. The contrast in their appearances was undeniable, while each was undeniably handsome.

This charms class she had thankfully been spared the displeasure of his company. She had instead been paired up with Remus Lupin, Black's sandy-haired compatriot. Lupin may have been Black's friend, but he didn't share his love of mischief. He may not have been a pure-blood, but Calista found that she could make no complaints about his work ethic. Their partnership, although silent, was harmonious for the most part. They finished their work first and spent the rest of the class watching other pairs.

There was complete silence for ten or so minutes of this observation. Calista was mildly startled when Remus spoke from beside her.

"Sirius only goads you because of the way you act, you know."

"My actions should be none of his concern." She expected him to drop the conversation there. The next thing he said shocked her even more, however.

"You remind him of his family."

She was about to snap back about how his family were hardly the worst people to be compared to, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. There was no point in arguing with people who hated their own family. If someone could hate their own mother then there was certainly no point in worrying about where their affections were.

It was a well-known fact that Sirius had been wiped from the Black family tree after he had left his family home. It was a pity, as well. He had so much promise, but here he was wasting his wit with a group of pranksters. It was _his_ life to ruin, though. She herself had recently heard whispers of happenings. People were finally starting to organize around a cause. Perhaps someday they would kick the muggle-borns out of Hogwarts. Maybe that's what this was about. She didn't concern herself too much with it.

Calista looked back over at Lupin, but he was looking straight ahead as if no conversation had ever taken place. When he caught her staring, he turned his head marginally and looked her in the eye for a moment, then turned away again. She allowed herself a small smile. There was defiance in his eyes, even if it was calm defiance. He thought he knew something that she didn't.

***

Lunch was raucous, as usual. It was a Wednesday, which meant that after lunch was potions with the Ravenclaws. She was looking forward to it, if only because Professor Slughorn was one of her favorite teachers. This might have been because she was one of his favorite students. He let her partner with whomever she pleased. She often chose Severus Snape, not because she particularly liked his company (he was always rather dismal,) but because he always seem to know exactly what to do to make a potion turn out as it was supposed to. He often deviated from the instructions in ways she never dreamed of, but the results were almost always better than anyone else's.

This particular class had them making a powerful love potion with some ingredients that Professor Slughorn had managed to procure from a rather shady looking dealer in Knockturn Alley. Not that he informed the class of this, but she knew. One of her cousins had connections to this dealer. Or rather, he kept him out of trouble with the ministry in exchange for having the first pick of anything.

Conjuring a love potion with Severus Snape was the most uncomfortable thing she had experienced in a good while. Every few minutes when he assumed she wasn't looking he'd glance her way, then down at the softly bubbling purple liquid, then back at her. She made a mental note not to drink anything anywhere near him for a good while. Sure enough, at the end of the lesson she saw him slip some of the potion into a small flask he had hidden in his robes.

***

Needless to say, she was glad when the class ended. She rushed back to the Slytherin dorm to change for dinner. Most of the students at Hogwarts just wore their robes. Some even came straight from class. Calista preferred to go back to the dormitory to freshen up before showing herself in public again. 'Freshening up' usually consisted of a change of clothes into a dress she had brought from home, a brush through her hair, and maybe a bit of make-up. Lipstick was just coming into vogue with the pureblood crowd, who usually remained a good century or two behind muggle trends. She enjoyed the opportunity to put some pigment onto her normally pasty lips.

There was always a place at the table saved for her, so she was in no hurry. She ran a brush slowly through her hair, working the tangles out that had formed during her hasty retreat from potions class. She closed her eyes as the brush caressed her hair, but stopped suddenly and opened them again.

The room seemed to be tilting. She grabbed the sink and leaned her left hip against it, breathing deeply and trying to concentrate on the feeling of the tile floor beneath her feet. The feeling passed and was replaced with nausea. Turning to the side, she leaned her forehead against the mirror until this too passed, praying that no one would choose this moment to walk in. Minutes later, she headed down to the great hall.

People were clamoring about, passing things across tables and laughing loudly. The Slytherin table was a mass of green and black. She took her usual seat, about halfway into the table between a girl named Alethea Remming and a boy named Wilhelm Bowerby. Severus Snape sat a few seats away, and was trying to catch her eye. She ignored him, but picked up her drink, pretending to be taking to sip from it. She instead sniffed it, and noticed a faint hint of something. Fighting a smile, she thought, _Not tonight, Severus,_ then put the drink back down after feigning drinking from it. Maybe she could have some fun with this later. Not now, though.

***

Just to reiterate…I love reviews.


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters, places, things, etc. Only my character belongs to me.

I only minimally proofread this, so I apologize in advance for any errors.

If this seems like a bit of a filler, give it a chance. It has some stuff that'll have a huge bearing later on in the story.

If the writing seems pedantic, it's only a reflection of the character. When I write a Marauder part (eventually) it'll most likely sound much more relaxed.

Also, about a certain "scene" that occurs about midway through…I could have written more, but I don't want to risk losing readers this early by having to change the rating already. I'm pushing it as is. Let me know what you think, though.

***

Breakfast the next morning came all too early for Calista who, despite having slept more than long enough the previous night, had woken up almost as weary as she had gone to bed. She charmed away the circles under her eyes and set about getting dressed. The occasion called for a little extra work.

She had been meaning to do something to charm her new potions partner. Not charm in a literal sense, but she needed ensure that he would always remain in her service, whether he knew it or not. It shouldn't be hard, Severus Snape's very demeanor screamed loneliness to anyone who would listen. He was probably pining for some girl already, so Calista was happy to pretend to oblige his insecurities for a little while. At least while it suited her.

The love potion he had secretly slipped into her goblet gave her the perfect opportunity to do just that. Better yet, it had an expiration date. She would pretend to be pulled under its influence for a short while, maybe indulge a few of his fantasies. Then, after the expiration date, which she predicted could be as soon as the next day based on the small amount she had pretended to drink, she would still shoot him the occasional look over the cauldron in potions class. Make-believe that maybe there _was_ a chance. Of course he would never take it, especially if he was in love with another girl. But it would ensure that she would remain in his good graces, maybe even good enough to get her out of the homework for that blasted class.

This plan required a bit of preparation for this first day. Namely, a few alterations of the regular Hogwarts uniform. She performed a minor shrinking charm on her regular white shirt, and popped open the top few buttons to the point that more than hinted at cleavage. The black knee length skirt was rolled a few times until it sat just below mid-way down her upper leg, exposing the top of her stockings. To top the whole ensemble off (_not that it needed it,_ she thought) she was wearing one of the corsets from home that were usually reserved for balls. She didn't lace it too tight – today was herbology, and there was no telling what need for movement there would be in that class. Once she had turned a few times in front of the mirror and was satisfied, she sauntered downstairs and into the bustle of the great hall.

Breakfast, although much more subdued than the other meals later in the day, was still too loud for her tastes. She took her regular place then glanced over at Severus, who had his eyes glued in her direction, waiting to gauge her reaction. Flashing him a dazzling smile, she beckoned him over with a finger, while simultaneously sending Wilhelm away from her right side, leaving the seat open. He took it and let his eyes linger a moment on her bust as he sat down. As soon as he had sat down, she leaned over and whispered in his ear (careful not to touch him, he always did look rather greasy)

"You'll be eating with me today."

She lingered a moment then pulled back and began carefully cutting up the food on her plate. He stared straight ahead for a few moments, looking transparently delighted and more than a little proud of himself. Alethea shot her an inquisitive look from her left, but she shook her head slightly.

***

Herbology proved that there was no need to overdo her little show. Snape was completely falling for it. He looked absolutely triumphant when she stood next to him at the long table in the greenhouse. Being someone who was usually an outcast in even his own house, it must've seemed to him that this was the best plan he had ever had.

His plan only seemed better to him after class when she grabbed him by the tie and dragged him back to the common room, pushing him down on the couch so he was facing her. His eyes ran over her and he licked his lips subconsciously. Her willpower wavered for a moment, as a shiver of disgust ran down her. Luckily, he mistook it for something else, and he grinned lasciviously.

Before she could change her mind, she seated herself on his lap and, placing one arm on the back of the couch for balance, leaned in toward him. He drew in a shaky breath and tentatively put one hand on her leg, staring her straight in the eyes. She fought to keep her eyes on him and not draw back reflexively. He thought her to be under the effects of a love potion, one that was undoubtedly very powerful, considering his usual skills at potionmaking. She couldn't be seen chasing him, so this was what she did to feign infatuation. He wouldn't be likely to notice the difference.

She brought her lips in close to his and closed her eyes. His hand tightened on her leg and he gasped.

***

They ended up walking down to the great hall together, after Calista failed to produce a reason why they shouldn't go together. She kept her chin up despite the inclination to hide behind her hair in a vain hope that no one would recognize her. Being seen with the school's outcast was hardly an ideal situation. It could hardly ruin her reputation completely, but the reaction was not something she wanted to deal with. She already felt like a two-bit whore.

She was horrified, of course, when she saw the Marauders coming down the hall after finishing lunch. Both she and Severus cursed under their breath. The Marauders were probably heading back to the Gryffindor dormitory to plan their next bit of mischief. That didn't keep them from stopping a few feet away to poke fun at their favorite target and his new two-bit whore.

"Why, hello, Snivellus, fancy seeing _you_ here," Sirius drawled. Peter snickered from behind him, then squealed when James stomped on his foot. His mocking tone couldn't kill Severus's good mood, though.

"Yes, Black, fancy seeing you here as well. It's been far too long. Since this morning, correct?" he sneered. His confidence was falsely boosted by the girl standing by his side who was purposely staring off in another direction, looking rather bored. He was expecting her to defend him. He was very wrong. Her lack of attention to the situation caught Sirius's notice, though.

"Miss Emberly, what a pleasure!" he exclaimed, sarcasm dripping off every word. She gave him a nod acknowledging his statement and he changed his tactic. "Heading down for a date with your newest boy-toy, are you? Really, I wouldn't have pegged him for your type. I would've thought that you would go for the handsome ones."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Black, and it's hardly your business," she replied, more calmly but with no less sarcasm. Inside her mind things were spinning. This could be all it took to ruin her charade. Black could see straight through her act. All it took was a few words from him and Snape would discover exactly what she had been doing all day. She leaned against the wall and willed herself not to slouch over as her world turned.

Sirius gave her a look but moved on down the hallway, commenting loudly about how some people had no discretion. Ironic, she couldn't help thinking, coming from him. There was no doubt that she would hear about this some time in the future.

She realized that she was still slumping against the wall when Severus grabbed her by the hand and pulled forward. He paused when she didn't follow and asked

"Are you ill?" There was slight concern in his voice, but he was probably more worried about contracting whatever it was she had. She shook her head and pushed herself off the wall.

"I'm well, just tired," she answered, and followed him down the hall, toward the great hall.

***

By the end of the day, as she sat on one of the couches in the common room pretending to read a good to keep the other students from hassling her, Calista Emberly decided that the act that she was putting on would have to end the next day. Throughout the day there had been too many close calls. It wasn't just the Marauders, the majority of the Slytherin house had been shooting her odd looks all day. Severus was too far in his own dream world to notice that she paying him little to no attention in public. After their experience in the common room at lunch he had been too full of himself to bother paying attention to much of anything.

This fact suited her fine. Come next morning she would've completely forgotten her supposed infatuation with him. He would be left out in the cold where he had started.

She almost smiled at the thought. One bad day for a year of work was completely worth the worry. If she had played her cards right then there would be no need to put more than minimal effort into potions class. He would take care of everything.

Only, she hoped that Black didn't remember their conversation from early. Why on _earth_ had she told him that it was none of his business? It was an open invitation!

***

Please click the little review button and take the time to write out a few words!


	4. Chapter Three

Most of this chapter happens in a passive voice, which I hope you'll forgive. Since there's not a huge amount of dialogue here I had to do something to move things along, and that's just how it turned out. It may help to imagine what's going on as it happens. You'll have to use your imagination on some parts because I didn't feel like getting specific.

Disclaimer: Still not my characters.

Confrontation was unavoidable. If there was one thing that could be plainly seen looking through a history of encounters between Sirius Black and the Marauders, and Calista Emberly, it would be that conflict was inevitable when two proud but opposing forces met.

Sirius Black, to his credit, could be a fierce friend. If someone threatened one of his inner circle, then that person had better beware. His downfall was his complete closed-mindedness when it came to anyone with a different view than himself. He hated all Slytherins with a passion, and not just those that he felt had personally done him wrong. The whole house reminded him of his demented family. In his mind, the entire house was full of bloodthirsty bastards who would much prefer a world under the enslavement of the pure-blooded wizard race. The tendency of Slytherin to turn out overly-tenacious dark wizards only reinforced his view.

Calista Emberly, for the most part, didn't give a damn about other people. She was faithful only to her family. She believed there was something within purebloods that gave them the right to lead, and the ability to do what was necessary to make the world, as a whole, better. This was how she was raised, and she never questioned it. Everything was for the greater good. The world would be a better, more peaceful place, if only the right people ruled. She, of course, thought of herself as one of the few fit to lead.

She secretly loved the beauty of the natural world, and shunned ugliness in all forms. Seeing the muggles taking over the world with their so-called technological advances and booming population hurt her in a way that she couldn't quite describe, and so she blamed them for the ruination that seemed to her to be coming upon the world. What she really wanted to was a return to centuries past. The new millennium was approaching much too rapidly. The grey steel of the big cities offended her sense of aesthetics most profoundly, and she couldn't forgive those who were so willing to box up beautiful things in order to satisfy their own need for progress.

Many of the pureblood families were, by nature's gift, a beautiful crowd. This fact was complemented by the clothing they chose to wear, which reflected older styles. They clung to outdated traditions such as balls, arranged marriages, and education in culture.

One of these balls was where Calista met Sirius for the first time. It had been her first ball, where she had been feeling quite lovely in her cornflower blue dress that made her eyes shine. He had been dragged there by his family who were trying to make him a proper Black gentleman yet, despite his already rebellious nature. They had met while she was hovering near the wall, watching the well-dressed couples twirl around the floor like so many characters in a music box. He had been inching his way along the walls toward the exit of the room, trying not to be seen by his parents. She was in his way as far as he was concerned.

"Excuse me," he had said, less of a polite gesture than a way of telling her to move out of his way. His tone reflected his impatience, and he was startled as she turned toward him, her formerly amiable face looking displeased.

"I hope you aren't trying to leave. That would be rather rude of you."

Sirius felt his own face contort into a look of mocking disbelief, and his hands involuntarily curled into fists. "Of course, I wasn't trying to leave. What are you implying?"

She looked back at the dancers. "I wasn't implying anything. I was just expressing my sincere hope that you weren't trying to leave so soon."

"There's nothing to do here," he mumbled, staring at his feet. A dancing couple swooshed past them a few feet away.

"You could always dance," she hinted, lowering her gaze also. Of course she wanted to be asked to dance, but as one of the youngest attendees, she was complimented then left off on her own. No man wanted to dance with a child when there were so many enticing young ladies in the room. Sirius didn't notice the hint, however.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked rhetorically, then shuffled off the other way, toward the food. Calista was left insulted. It was the beginning of a long, mutual dislike between the two of them. Coincidentally, it was also then that Calista vowed never to be a wallflower again, and, thanks to a growth spurt that happened shortly after, she never was.

Several years later their mutual dislike of each other hadn't faded. If anything, it had been exacerbated by events that occurred in the meantime. Sirius's hatred of all things Slytherin instantly condemned her the moment the Sorting Hat had bellowed out her house assignment only a few moments after his own. She had almost been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt one more time, but their first meeting after the sorting had been anything but pleasant. From that moment on they were enemies, though never exactly at each other's throats. The games they played for a long time were far too subtle for anyone but Sirius's quickly-made friends to notice. She, in words at least, was never anything but politely cold to him. He, knowing her to be extremely proud, goaded her often with mild insults.

As he grew older, his insults grew far less subtle. The rivalry exploded two days after the confrontation involving Severus Snape in the hallways. It began the same way as usual, Sirius politely mocking her with the flowery language that was the custom in his old world. _(_"_I expect your family is well, Emberly?") _She responded coldly, though not rudely. _("Yes, very well, indeed. They have no __**complaints**__."_ It was a well known fact that before Sirius's flight from his family home, his mother had complained incessantly about his behavior and bemoaned his betrayal to the family line._)_

Then he asked her what it felt like to be whore to the school sleaze ball. When the only response he received was the thinning of her lips, he pressed on and asked if her services were up for hire, because even a Slytherin bitch could earn him some credit if she were seen fawning over him like she had over 'that grease ball, Snivellus.'

It was a shame that Severus Snape was not in the room, because if he had been he might have thought that what happened next was in defense of his honor, and not her rage finally igniting at that last insult to her pride.

She hexed Sirius. Hexed him until his pristine skin was covered in nasty red spots that oozed, and he was spitting out an odd greenish-yellow slime accompanied by some repulsive-looking solid shapes of unidentified origin.

The two of them had been promptly kicked out the library and sent to their respective heads of house (with a short detour to the hospital wing for Sirius, of course). McGonagall had pulled the whole story out of Sirius. He had been given detention for the next two nights and ordered to write lines to remind him that prejudice was not an excuse for cruel words. Slughorn, on the other hand, was slightly more sympathetic, when Calista spun the tale to make it sound like Sirius had been mocking her in a most lewd fashion. He had given her one night's detention grading first-years' papers with him and a stern warning to keep her temper under control next time something similar happened.

***

That night in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, the Marauders had ending up discussing the events of the day. Sirius was livid when he learned that she had gotten off with a much easier punishment.

"You all saw her; she was hanging all over that git like a cheap hooker! I can hardly believe that snob could stand to touch him. Can you imagine how greasy his hands must be?"

"I try not to, mate," James said, not looking very interested in the conversation, "and I'm not sure why you have been. Why all the effort?"

Sirius snorted derisively. Unable to funnel his anger at the current injustice into any human language, he settled for staring moodily into the distance. Remus sighed and ran a hand over his face. The next night was the full moon, and he was already starting to feel that familiar sinking feeling that accompanied the time before the transformation.

"Sirius, I agree that she didn't need to hex you as badly as she did, but you _were_ provoking her. What she chooses to do and who she chooses to be with is none of your business, and if you continue to act like this someone will think that you have some sort of feeling for this girl." His eyes watched his agitated friend warily.

At this, Sirius jumped to his feet so suddenly that Peter, who had been leafing through a copy of someone else's magazine gave a squeak and almost fell over backward.

"No one would DARE think that. That…girl…represents everything that is wrong with the pureblood society. Selfish, conniving rats, all of them—" Peter gave an indignant 'hey!' and Sirius waved him off"—no offense, Pete."

James, who had been lost in his own thoughts up until the point of Sirius's jump, put his thoughts in to calm his comrade down. "We know she's a bitch, Sirius. Hell, the whole _school_ knows it. But Mooney has a point. If you lay off and stop aggravating her it'll make life easier for all of us. We don't want to have to haul you down to the hospital wing every time you feel like taking some of your repressed anger out on someone. Besides, that's what Snivellus is for, and he doesn't fight back as well."

Sirius snickered. "Good point, my bespectacled friend. Besides, I don't think we've been paying Snivelly _nearly_ enough attention lately."

And that was that.

***

For the record, I'm still on track with the pairing I originally specified. Sirius is not in love with Calista. He really does hate her like he says. To him, he represents everything that is wrong with the pureblooded culture. The memory of her at that ball ties her to it, in his mind.

He is usually the one who goes out of his way to provoke her, not the other way around. She avoids him and usually considers him not worth her time, unless he upsets her first.

If anything in this story is confusing, let me know in a review. Since I'm probably going to end up revising the whole thing it'll help to know what I'm getting stuck on. I have an entire back-story worked out in my mind, but it's awkward fitting it into the story.

Review please?


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Only Calista belongs to me. In the best sense, of course.

Hopefully this one is written a little less…strangely. If that's the word for what's been coming out of my hands lately.

This is kind of a major turning point in the story. Hopefully I'm not putting it in too soon, but I felt like I was stalling, so here you go.

***

It had been a good few days, Calista reflected. It was a chilly evening in mid-autumn, and she had left her nearly-finished work inside to come out and enjoy the last burst of color from the trees before they shed all of their leaves for the winter. She had been fatigued all day and was more than content to relax under a tree overlooking the lake. Leaning against it, she dug her heels into the hardening soil underneath and rubbed the tree trunk with her thumb, loving the feel of the rough bark.

The week had been especially quiet. Sirius seemed to have found someone else to harass, at least for a short time, and he hadn't been bothering her. Maybe he took the punishment to heart. She doubted it. Now was not the time to question good fortune, though.

Severus had been doing a large majority of her work in potions class, even loaning her his papers so she could extract useful information for her own essays. She had scarcely needed to pick up a book for that class all week. It was a pity he wouldn't be able to help her in any other class.

She relaxed and rested her cheek against the tree trunk and let her thoughts wander. It smelled green, green like the splendor of nature. Minutes passed until suddenly, she felt a jerk under her feet, and the world slipped out from under her.

***

As luck would have it, it was none other than the long-suffering Remus Lupin who came around the corner of the castle walls in time to see her slump to the ground underneath the shade of the tree. At first he froze, wondering if he was hallucinating. He was dead on his feet, and had only taken a walk in the first place to escape the noise of the castle and his friends, which had been giving him a headache. A hallucination seemed more plausible than what he was seeing.

Yet, as he moved forward, the image stayed solid. He crouched down a few feet away to get a better look. Her legs were bent at awkward angles and there was hair stuck to her lips, but she was totally relaxed, as he had never seen her before. She was breathing softly, and her eyelids were fluttering minutely. She looked, for lack of a better word, vulnerable. There was a red mark on her cheek that looked like it had been made by the scraping of tree bark.

His mind took off in a thousand directions. Something was wrong obviously. She should go to the hospital wing. There was no way he could get her there, though. She must weigh much more than half of what he did, and he was in no condition to lift a person. Plus, there was no telling what would happen if she woke up along the way. He'd probably get hexed to kingdom come.

Reaching out, he patted her face lightly a few times to see if that would bring her around. Her cheeks colored slightly and she moaned through closed lips. Her eyes fluttered more markedly and clenched shut. Then they snapped open. She sat up, pulled herself against the tree, then turned the opposite way and retched, nothing coming out. Her hand flew up to her mouth and she shook violently for a few more seconds, then she lowered it and took a shaky breath, leaning back against the tree trunk.

Remus had been watching with no undue concern throughout this, but she didn't notice his presence until a moment later. Seeming to see him out of the corner of her eye, her gaze shot over to him and her eyes widened in alarm. She shot up straight for a moment before collapsing back against the tree trunk, panting. Between her gasps, her wide eyes, and the sheen of sweat that covered her skin, she looked like a fish that had jumped ashore and gotten stranded. He reached out a hand to try to reassure her, but stopped as she instinctively drew back. Her eyes were slowly clearing and the panicked look was fading.

A flicker of recognition sparked in her eyes, and she once again squeezed her eyes shut, resting her forehead in the fingers of her left hand, elbow on her knee. She swallowed with some difficulty. It seemed like she was avoiding looking at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, leaning back away from her. She nodded stiffly, but stayed silent.

"What happened?" he pressed. She swallowed hard again, and replied in a strained voice

"Please, don't make me speak right now." Her right hand flew up to her mouth and she shuddered. A tear leaked out of the corner of one of her eyes, and she swiped it away. They sat there for a few minutes in silence while she took deep, carefully-measured breaths. He stared at the ground uncomfortably. He wanted to leave, but he didn't want to feel responsible if something else happened.

Just as the silence was becoming strangling, she raised her head and looked him straight in the eyes. "Thank you for your assistance; it was very kind of you. I'm fine now, you may leave." There was no inflection of gratitude in her voice, it was stale sounding and betrayed nothing.

He wasn't to be led off that easily, though. "You should go to the hospital wing."

She laughed. It was a dry sound, like crackling leaves. "I would if I thought it would do any good."

As soon as she had spoken her mouth snapped shut, and she grimaced slightly.

"Is there anything –" Remus started. The pity that had inexplicably settled itself in the bottom of his stomach wouldn't let him leave with a clear conscience. She cut him off.

"No. Please, leave." The terse reply was punctuated by the harshness of her voice. He shook his head, seeing the uselessness of lingering, and headed back toward the doors to the castle. She watched him go with wary eyes.

***

To the casual observer, Calista Emberly looked as if she could be relaxing against a tree. Sunbathing, maybe. It was, after all, a beautiful day outside even as the sun was nearing its time to set.

Her thoughts were on everything but the beautiful evening, however.

How _could_ she have been so stupid? It was his fault entirely, coming upon her in her weakest moment. And then she had gone and made it worse. Telling him that the Hospital Wing would do no good; that was certain to set off warning bells in anyone's head. She should've lied. _(Why didn't I __**lie**__?)___She should have let him escort her up to the infirmary, then lied and said that she had just gotten too warm. But her mind wouldn't think that quickly. She had instead blurted out the first response that had come to mind. Like an idiot.

_(Idiot!_)

She had fainted before. Many times. It may have been a signal of some underlying problem. Deteriorating health. Her family had taken her to see healers about it. Special healers who would only work with purebloods. The best of the best. The only answer she had gotten was that she was predisposed to this, and there was no way around it other than to ride it out. The nausea curing potion that she had started with had stopped working years ago, and so now she just dealt with it every time something happened. She had always known a short while in advance when something would happen. Her legs would turn to jelly, her hands would start fluttering. She would excuse herself from wherever she was and find a private place. Usually a bathroom, just in case. She was never unconscious long.

This time there had been no warning. She had been lost in her own thoughts, appreciating the gentle breeze that blew between the trees and the castle, and then suddenly she was on the ground with a less-than-ignorable urge to vomit filling her head. It was lucky that she hadn't had anything to eat. The nausea always lasted for a few minutes after these spells. She would sit quietly, not daring to open her mouth, until the feeling passed.

She never let this happen in front of anyone. She didn't want them fluttering around, trying to help. The thought of being pitied was unbearable to her pride. She scorned their sympathies. One had to have the strength to overcome any obstacles placed in front of them without the help of others. Once they could do this, then help was acceptable as an option, not as a necessity.

_This time_ she had been seen. The concern in his eyes drove her wild. Compassion was the last thing she wanted. But there it had been, clearly visible. Along with something else she couldn't place.

Why should he be concerned about _her?_ He had looked just as bad, if not worse. There had been purple rings under his eyes, and he was pale with only a flush of pink from the chill air. His hands had been shaking, too; she had seen when he held one up.

_(Hardly fit to be judging me.)_

This situation was wrong. Completely, totally, all wrong. All Calista could do now was pray to the fates that he wouldn't tell any of his comrades about what he had seen. The last thing she needed, even worse than his concern, was their well-founded scorn.

***

Most of this has been written for quite a long time. I tend to write turning points first. You should hopefully start seeing where this is headed.


	6. Chapter Five

Ugh. I would've written this sooner, but my muse ran away for a bit. More than a bit. I'm still not sure how much I've got to write, so I'm just going to write until I run out of ideas again. You might see how I ran out of steam, because this chapter takes a bit to pick up. I wrote about 5 different parts before I finally figured out what to write about.

Thank you to all of my reviewers. I know I haven't said it yet, but I really appreciate the encouragement. This is probably the furthest I've ever gotten in a fanfiction. I'm that much of a flake.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters.

***

Two things happened as Remus Lupin re-entered the Gryffindor boys' dormitory. First, he was knocked to the floor by a frantic Peter, which caused his headache to return at full force and his leg to bang into one of the bedposts in a way that would unquestionably leave a bruise. Second, Sirius, who had been chasing Peter around holding Merlin-only-knows-what in his right hand halted in his strides and gave Remus a funny look, asking

"Where've you been, Moony?" He dropped what he had been holding, which turned out to be an enchanted rubber replica of a snake. Most likely, it was the kind of snake whose diet consisted of small rodents. No small wonder that Peter hadn't wanted it anywhere near him. The replica hissed in a semi-realistic way then slithered under a bed.

Remus, who had not been in the best of humors after his recent encounter, glowered at his friend through the haze the headache was creating in his mind. Sirius held up his hands in a melodramatic gesture of surrender and took a step back, raising his eyebrows. James looked up from his position on a bed where he had been doing the transfiguration reading and said "Leave him alone, Padfoot. He was probably just trying to get away from the madness that is your life for a little while. We all need our alone time."

"I resent that."

James quirked a grin. "Aw, would Pads like me to kiss it and make it better?"

A look of disgust crossed Sirius's face. "No, I most certainly would not. Keep your lips to yourself, for once. And don't call me Pads."

Remus, during this conversation had been sneaking off toward his bed, wanting to get his things and prepare to go to bed. Sleep sounded unbelievably wonderful after the long day, even if it was hours before he usually went to sleep. As James and Sirius bickered like an old married couple (not that he would ever mention that opinion to them) Remus slunk out of the room and quietly cleaned himself up, sponging off the nearly-closed cuts he had acquired the night of the full moon.

***

Calista Emberly was dead on her feet. It had been getting dark outside, and the Hogwarts grounds, no matter how safe they seemed during the day, were not a place one wanted to be alone at night. The halls of the school had cleared out after dinner, with all of the students returning to their common rooms to do socialize or do homework. She walked slowly, pausing every so often to catch her breath. The cold stone of the walls felt good when she leaned her cheek against it and she resisted the urge to just go to sleep where she stood. The Slytherin common room wasn't that far away. Three hallways and two flights of stairs…

***

The next morning dawned clearer and colder than it had been in months. The sky was a sparkling azure blue, and the clouds that had been holding the school under their warm blanket had fled. It was a Saturday, and a visit to Hogsmeade had been organized to get the older students out of the castle. Flocks of seventh-years had braved the freezing temperatures for the opportunity to visit with friends over a warm butterbeer, or restock their cache of sweets from Honeydukes.

The atmosphere inside The Three Broomsticks was cheerful. The warmth from the butterbeers that were scattered over the tables in front of students seemed to fill the room, and a fire crackled merrily off to one side. The babbling of the students swelled throughout the room, and every so often a loud laugh broke out.

Remus Lupin was sitting at a table near the fire in the corner furthest from the door. James and Sirius had gone off to Zonko's to buy things that Remus didn't want to know about. After all, he couldn't turn them in if he didn't specifically know of any wrong-doings they were committing. Peter was in the restroom, leaving Remus to save their table.

Blowing lightly on the near-full pitcher of butterbeer in front of him, Remus resisted the urge to lay his head down on the table. The heat of the room combined with the dull roar of the students was making him sleepy. If he had known he would be sitting here alone he would've at least brought a book.

He was jerked out of his comatose state by a tap on the shoulder. He looked up to see a pair of milky blue eyes staring down at him. Calista Emberly was standing beside his table, wearing a dark hat that completely covered her hair and obscured part of her face. Every few seconds her eyes would flick off in another direction and back again, and she was chewing on the side of her bottom lip. He couldn't help noticing that the light from one of the windows was shooting out from behind her, lighting up stray hairs that had escaped her hat. It floated out around her face like a halo in a painting from the middle ages.

"I need you to come with me," she said tersely. He blinked at her for a second, but was spared having to think of a reply when she grabbed him by the wrist and led him away before he had time to protest. She kept her head down to hide her face from the crowds as she yanked him toward the opposite side of the room. Too late he realized where she was doing.

"But that's the girls' ---!"

She pulled him in after her and closed the door behind her, then checked under the stall doors before pulling her hat off and running a hand distractedly through her hair to untangle it. Remus had been looking around in curiosity while she checked her hair in the mirror, taking in the décor. It was a small room with floral wallpaper and cozy lighting. For some reason he couldn't understand, there was a small couch on one wall.

Turning to face him, she pulled herself up on the counter and let her legs swing several inches off the floor. She was almost at his eye-level. Leaning forward, she beckoned him come closer and her eyes flicked to the door and back to him. He took a step forward, but only one, as he was already feeling apprehensive about the situation. Besides, he didn't want to be seen here anymore than she wanted to be seen with him.

"About yesterday--" she started, but he cut her off.

Remus felt a flash of annoyance at her bringing the subject up in this way. She had of course been incredibly rude to him when all he was trying to do was help. He had, in some small part of his mind, been hoping for an apology. He could already tell by her tone of voice that this was not the reason she had dragged him back here. "Yes, about yesterday," he asserted, "some thanks are in order, if you don't mind." He was feeling pleased with himself for standing up to this (rather arrogant, in his opinion) girl, but his irritation disappeared as quickly as it had come upon him when she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, looking drained.

"Yes, of course. I apologize for my tactlessness, as well. I was having a bad night," she answered, not opening her eyes. She wasn't actually sorry, but there was no use in further provoking the very person she wanted to keep quiet. He had already seen more than she had previously allowed anyone to see, and the last thing she wanted was for him to tell his horrible friends about it.

"I accept, and I understand," Remus replied, now that his annoyance had faded and been replaced with a dull sense of regret for his harsh tone. Her eyes snapped open.

"And," she added, "if you could, Remus, please not tell anyone what you saw. I don't want anyone to worry." This was half true. She didn't want anyone to worry, but not through any wish to spare them the concern. She was too proud to be seen as weak in any way; the façade of self-sufficient perfection she had spent years creating could be ruined overnight if it was spread through the school that she couldn't even take care of herself.

Remus didn't catch this double meaning, and so he nodded. "I'll be discreet, if you don't want anyone to know, but…" he trailed off, uncertain about what to say next. "If….if you ever need any help…I'm around," he ended awkwardly. Her lips twisted up strangely for a second, but then she pulled them into a smile that anyone but Remus could've seen was fake.

"Thank you very much…Remus. I'll count on your discretion." She hopped down from the counter, and after a moment of thought, stood on her toes and kissed him briefly on the cheek. He stood flabbergasted for a moment while she strode out of the bathroom and escaped into the street. He wasn't sure what he was more surprised about: her calling him by his first name (few people did,) or the kiss on the cheek.

After a moment he found the consciousness to leave before a girl came in and found him there. He exited at the same time Peter was coming out of the boys' room. The other boy gave him an odd look.

"What were you doing in the girls' room?"

***

I had to end it there. It was too perfect.

If you liked it, review. If you didn't…still review, just try to keep the criticism constructive. Thank you!


End file.
